Plumb-level.



R. L. BROOKS. PLUMB LEVEL. APPLIQATIQN FILED JUNE 3, 1911.

Atzomeya Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

:WJZLESS I E 117% R. L. BROOKS. PLUMB LEVEL. 'APJPLIOATION rum) JUNE 3, 1911.

Patented Aug: 20, 1912] 2 SHEETSSHBET 2 tion of one side of the tool:

ROBERT L. BROOKS, OF BEAUKISS, TEXAS.

PLUMB-LEVEL.

Specification of Letters Iatent. Application filed June 3, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ronna'r L. Bnoons, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaukiss, in the county of Williamson and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Plumb-Level, of which the following is a specification.

It. is the object of the present invention to provide a tool adapted to be employed in detern'iining and in laying off the pitch of rafters.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for maintaining. the

' different portions of the devicewhereby the pitch of the rafters is laidofi, in proper relation with respect to each other.

A further object of the inventipn is to provide a compound tool of novel and improved form, capable of a wide variety of uses, the constitutent elements of the tool coopcrat-ing with each other in a novel and improved manner.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combi-. nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claiived, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of inven-- tion heyein disclosed can be made .within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings,-Figu1e 1 is an eleva- Fig. 2 is an elevation of the opposite side of the tool from that appearing in Fig. 1-; Fig. 3 is a fragmental bottom plan; Fig. i is a perspective of one end of the device. showing a portion thereof disposed in position to be employed in laying off rafter angles and the like; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a section on the line S-S of Fig. .2; Fig 9 is a fragmental perspective of a. movable member which is slidably assembled withthe body, for movement in a fixed direction; and Fig. 10 is a, fragmental plan of a rule which constitutes a part of the device. H

Tn carrying out the invention there provided a primary and fundamental element, a body 1, having in one edge, a groove 2, extended the full length of the body. .\p-'

member 5 comprising parts from the body 1 8, through which body, as clearly Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

Serial No. 631,054.

the body 1, is a plate plied to the bottom of upstanding into the 3, having a flange l, groove 2.

A movable member 5 is provided, this- 6, hinged together at one end as shown at 7 (see Fig. 9). This movable member 5 may he graduated. in any desired manner so as to be remove and to be used as a ruler, when desired. The parts 6 of the movable I member 5, are adapted to be folded together. appearingin Fig. 6, one of said )a'rts being adapted to be engaged slida-bly etween the flange 4 and the body 1, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 while the other of said parts (5 is-adaptedto be folded down upon the outside of the flange.

One of the parts 6 of the movable member 5 is equipped in its end, with an eye may be thrust a pencil 9. The movable member 5 may he slid to and fro upon the body, in a fixed direction, so as to cause the pencil 9 to be located at various distances beyond one end of the shown in Fig. 3, the graduations upon the member 5 being employed for determining the distance between the end of the body and the pencil 9, Then the parts above referred to are positioned as shown in Fig. 3, the structure may be used as, a compass for striking a circle, a spur 10, outstanding from the body 1, serving as a pivot for the pencil 9 for striking the arc. Likewise, when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 3, the device may be used as 'a marking gage, as will be understood readily. In order to maintain the member 5 in fixed positions, a locking device is provided, upon the body '1. In fashioning this locking device. a casing '11 is let into one side of the body 1, adjacent one endof the body, and in this casing 1 is pivoted a cam shaft 12, having a handle 14. accessible from the exterior of the body. The cam member 12 is adapted to engage a spring plate 15, secured to the body at one end, the spring plate 15 being adapted, at its free end. to bear against one of the pa'rtsti of the member 5. By manipulating the cam member 12, the member .5 may be held in adjusted ositions upon the body 1. r

Obviously, if desired, the parts 6 may be swung into alinement, whereupon both parts may slide between the flanged and the body 16 of the body 1, which said end 16 is at right angles to the line of sliding moi'ement" Under such circum-. stances, the member 5 cooperates with the of the member 0.

end face 16 in such a manner that thedevice may be employed for use as a try-square.

The body 1, adjacent one end, is provided with a plumb level arm 17, carried by a shaft 18, having a counter-weight l9,loca-ted.

within a case 20, mounted in a suitable opening in the body 1, the shaft 18 being journaled for rotation in the caseQO. lllpon the outer faces of the case 20 there are annu-, lar graduations 21, upon which the plumb level arm 17 is adapted to indicate,'the-gradiuated faces of the case 20 being 'closed be-v neath transparent plates 22, .held in place by frames 23, applied to opposite faces of v the body 1.

In one face ofthe body 1 there isa 105 a! tudinally extended recess 24,; partially housed in by a transparent plate 25, held in place by an arm 26,-preferably, although not necessarily, constituting a projection from one of the frame'members 23, asshown in Fig. 1. Journaled for rotation in 1 1e recess 24, to the rear of the'transparent plate 25,'is a ing knob 28, ZICCGSSlblGEfOI manipulation, from theoutside of the 'bodyl. the shaft 27 is surrounded by a ring of gradnations denoted by the'numeral .29,-these graduations 29 indicating different pitches.

' Beyond the-ring of graduations 29. thereiare other-rings of, graduations, denoted by the unmet-a180, these graduations' 30 indicating rafter lengths. Upon the arm 26,,there"are graduations denoting different span's each one; of the graduations denoted bythe nu merali31, .being alincd withgone of the rings of-graduations dcnotedby the numeral 30. ,NotingfFig. 1, it will be? seen that the op' erator can determine at a iglance'fthe rafter length fora given span and-pitch, and-like,- WISE-,1 wlth -a given span and-rafterlength,

therequired pitch may'rcad-ily be readbfi'v 4 Let into one side of the body 1, intermediate the ends of the body, ,is a mariners or surveyorscompass 32, this compass SQ being ofcommon and well known construction, and merit-ing no specific description;

' Ilingcdly connected-with .the body'l, adjacent onc end of thebody asshown zit-3'3,

and;as most clearly appearing in Figflrt, is

an arm 35,- the same preferably taking the formof a flat plate of metal.- The arm 35- may be hingedly-connected with a plate 34, applied to one face iof the body-1, as shown 1 in Fi 2 and with one-end-of themember '26, which member '26 appears most clearly 111 Fig; 1. Theaarno' isadapted to be shaft 27, having at one end-a turn-' At. one end,

. ally, a finger"39,-'bent back upon itself as shown at 40, the finger merging into a rec-- tangularly disposed connecting member 41, adapted to move in a groove 42, formed in one of the side faces of the body 1'. EX- tended' transversely of the'beveled face 36, is a slot 43, adapted to receive the parts 39, 40 and 38, when the arm 35 .is folded down fla t'against the beveled face :36. v

The'groove 42 is covered byaplate .44, applied,. as shown in, Fig. 2, to .oneof the side facesof the body. 1. Inthi's plate 44,, there, @a longitudinally extended slot 45, through which projects a finger 46, formed .upongi-meend of the connecting member 41. Upon the finger 46 thereis a clamping mem; ber, -p yefera )ly .a .wing nut 47 ,,at la1)te(l-- to bear against the'plate 44, to hold the con-v necting member 41 against movement with respecttothe,plate; The connecting meme her 41, inythe vieinityof theifinger 46; is provided, ,withqan indicator-48, adapted to register upon graduations-49, inscribed upontheplate 44,-along one edgevofthe slot. 45. These graduations indicate different pitches. Inpractic al operation, by looseningthe nuta47, the arm 3.2m be tilted into various' outstanding posifions; the'- arm,- under such circumstances, definingdi erent angles with-respectto the lower ed e-of the; body 1, the'indicator 48 moving along the graduations49, toindicate different pitches set off bythe arm 35, whcn thesame i'svtiltedn Ob vioilsly, by, manipulating the nut .47, t-he arm 35 m ybe held-in any positionjto which itihasjbeen tilted. l.- ,1 H,, lt'will be.,understoodreadily, that by manipu lating, the handle: member 14, they cam 12 is thrown tooneside, to set free forsliding movement upon .;the body 1, themovable member 5-, whereupon the said member 5 may be slid beyond one-end of the body, it

and locked in positiomso that-the member 5--Inay cooperate with, the arm -35, in-the measuring and layingaofli ofanglesaand 1 5 pitches. i-

aNoti g .F-ig.- 1,-and .comparin the shoW- =1 ings'of .this figure withlhat of Figs, 4 and 3,

it will be seen=that the operator, of the device, may secure from the indicating mechanism shown in Fig. 1, the requisite datawith respect to pitches, rafter lengths and truss t spans, and, after I these data have been ace quired, the member Hand/the arm 35;!fi1ayl beamanipu'lated, to,-lay off the pitches.;'- 1 Byemploying the arm 35=-in connection I with the lower edge of the body 1, a given angle-maybe laid off-, andby employingthe arm 35 -in-connection withthe memberkS;

when thelatten is extended beyond one end 139 :l', I- I.

of the body 1, as shown in Fig. 3, the supplement of the angle above referred to, may be laid ofi.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 2- l l. A device of the class described comprising a body; an arm hinged at one end to the body; a straight movable member held in contact with the body for right line movement only, parallel to the length of the movable member and parallel to the length of the body, and havin a straight fiducial edge, adapted to be a vanced beyond one end of the body, to define an angle with the arm; means for holding the arm in adjusted positions with respect to the fiducial edge of the movable member; and means for holding the movable member in adjusted positions along its line of movement.

A device of the class described com prising a body having a beveled end face; an arm hinged to the body and adapted to lie against said face; a connection hinged to the arm and movable in close vicinity t0 the body; and body-engaging means upon the connection, for maintaining the arm in adjusted positions. I

A device of the class described comprising a body having an opening'in one face; an arm hinged thereto; a connection pivoted to the arm and adapted to move in the opening; a plate covering the opening, and provided with a slot, the plate being graduated, along one edge of the slot, and the connection having a finger adapted to protrude through said slot; and a clamping member upon the finger adapted to engage the plate, to hold the arm in adjusted positions, the connection having an indicator, adapted to register upon the graduations.

a. A device of the class described com: prising a body; a movable member slidably connected with't-he body, for movement in a fixed direction, said member comprising hingedly connected parts; an arm hinged to the body; and means for locking the arm in successive positions, to define difierent angleswith respect to the'movable member.

member.

5. A device of theclass described comprising a body having a groove in one edge; a plate secured to the lower face of the body and having an upstanding flange registering in the groove; a movable member compr1s-- ing hingedly connected parts, one of which parts, when said parts are folded together, is adapted to slide between the flange and the body,-said parts being adapted to be alined, whereby either of said parts may slide between theflange and the body; an arm hinged to the body, and adapted to assume different angles with respect to the movable member; and means for locking the arm in successive positions.

6. A device of the class describedlcomprising a body; a movable member slid-able upon the body in a fixed direction; a yieldable plate secured to the body, and adapted to bear upon said member; a cam lever pivoted in the body, and adapted to bear upon the plate; and an arm hinged to the body, and adapted to assume different angles with respect to said member.

7. A device of the class described comprising a body having a groove; a plate secured to the lower face of the body, and having a flange upstanding into the groove; a movable member comprising hingedly connectd parts, one of which is adapted to slide between the flange and thebody, the other of which may be folded down upon the outer face of the flange, both of said parts.

when the same are alined, being adapted to slide between the flange and thebody; a locking device upon the'body, adapted to engage said member, to hold the same in successive positions upon the body; and an arm hinged to the body, and adapted to define different angles with respect to said In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT L. BROOKS.

WVitnesses:

= W. M. HOUGHTON,

T. E.'SCALES. 

